


The Hollow World

by airsalonpasandpettysquabbles



Category: Enchanted Emporium - P.D. Baccalario
Genre: Finley McPhee, First In The Fandom, I hope other people read these books, Welcome!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2019-07-06 12:18:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15885906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/airsalonpasandpettysquabbles/pseuds/airsalonpasandpettysquabbles
Summary: In Volume no. 4 : The Thief of Mirrors, what happens if Finley could not find a way out of Semueld Askell's grasp.My twist on a 5th [book], if the ending would have happened differentlyThis is from the Enchanted Emporium series, written by P.D. Baccalario and illustrated by Iacopo Bruno.  Go check it out! (I have the book summaries, and more, inside.)





	1. The beginning starts with an end

**Author's Note:**

> A/N - Welcome, to anyone reading. I'm proud to present the first fanfiction written for this fandom; The Enchanted Emporium. A four-book series written by the very creative P.D. Baccalario, and illustrated by the very talented Iacopo Bruno. This series follows Finley McPhee, a regular thirteen-year old, who lives in the small village of Applecross in Scotland. Together with the help of his friend(s) (but if I'm being honest here, he mostly saves everyone without help), he has to save his home! Honestly, the summaries in the back of the books do not do the series justice. I strongly recommend reading this series, which can be found on www.capstoneyoungreaders.com but I just found mine at my local dollar store :)
> 
> I'll put the summaries for each book down below. If you do want to read the books, these summaries may spoil some things, but nothing to worry about. This story, however, will spoil the whole series, so read the books and come back. For anyone else who doesn't really care about what happens in the books, feel free to skip the summaries and delve straight into the story. *Reminder : This story takes place at the end of book four*
> 
> Suitcase of Stars : Volume 1
> 
> Have you heard of Cinderella's glass slipper? What about Sinbad the Sailor's Flying Carpet? In this world, there are many magical items - but only one place where they're safe: the Enchanted Emporium. For centuries, seven families have competed for ownership of the Emporium - and some of them are willing to do whatever it takes to get their hands on the powerful items housed within. Only Aiby Lily and her friend, Finley, have what it takes to stop the Emporium from falling into the wrong hands.
> 
> Compass of Dreams : Volume 2
> 
> Finley McPhee's life became rather strange once Aiby Lily arrived in Applecross. But after the Lily family's grand opening of the Enchanted Emporium, Finley's life becomes even stranger. Sheep disappear from nearby farms. Fish vanish from the local lakes and streams. The townsfolk claim that the Green Man, a legend from a Scottish folk tale, is responsible. Is he just an old fable, or a genuine threat? As the new defender of the Enchanted Emporium, its up to Finley to find out - with a little help from his inseparable dog, Patches, of course.
> 
> Map of the Passages : Volume 3
> 
> The evil Semueld Askell, concealed by the Cloak of Mirrors, sneaks into Finley's room to steal the key to the Enchanted Emporium. He discovers that the key must be given willingly, and Finley's not about to abandon his role as Defender of the Emporium. Semueld is desperate to get his hands on the magical objects housed within, so he forces Finley to make a terrible choice: give him the key, or Semueld will make sure Aiby Lily is lost forever. Faced with this impossible choice, Finley will have to use every trick in the book (as well as some magical objects) to bring back his best friend.
> 
> The Thief of Mirrors : Volume 4
> 
> A special reunion of the Enchanted Emporium's shopkeeper families turned out to be a deadly trap — and Lily's talented father is powerless to stop it. Now Finley McPhee needs to rescue his friend and find out where the meeting of the seven families is being held, all while fending off the evil Semueld Askell. But along the way, Finley will finally come face to face with a part of himself that he never wanted to meet.
> 
> Those are the four summaries, and honestly, they just try to accentuate and underline Aiby and Finley's relationship too much. Like, we get it, it's a hetero-sexual pairing. Yay. For example, where it says Aiby Lily is in danger, well, her and five other people! In the first book it's the whole village who's in danger, in the third book Finley has to stop a villain and rescue his friends, and in the fourth book Finley saves everyone by himself! They're making it sound as if Aiby is the main character, which she is not. I apologize for ranting, but I have strong and mixed feelings about this specific character. Anyways, hope you enjoy this (if anyone's actually reading this..)

Finley had nowhere to go, Semueld had backed him up until he stood on the edge of the cliff.

"You have nowhere to run to, boy. Not to your family, not to your friends, and not to your precious little Aiby. You couldn't stay put, could you? Not in that prison, not in any of those traps I set up, nothing. I wonder how to rid of you, Finley McPhee."

Said boy was looking everywhere for an exit. He couldn't go right of left, Askell would catch him too easily. He couldn't go over because he couldn't jump  _that_  high, he couldn't go under because Semueld's legs were closed together. The only way left was behind him. He chanced a quick glance over his shoulder and towards the raging sea. Waves rolling off the beach, the morning sun just now rising, it truly was a sight to behold. If he wasn't so busy dying, maybe he could enjoy the scenery...

"Maybe destroying or getting rid of you isn't the answer," he was brought out of his musings by Askell, "maybe I have to make you disappear. It's not like you're needed here, anyways."

Finley tried not to let his words get to him, but it was hard. He looked behind his enemy and saw his brother, Doug, hug his mother and father in relief, Locan and Aiby Lilly freeing the other villagers, the reverend taking care of the wounded. Maybe he wasn't needed right away, but that didn't mean he didn't have a job to finish.

Ignoring the twinge in his heart, he replied in a dry voice, "Maybe I'm not, but it doesn't make you any more welcome. Go, Semueld Askell, leave Applecross, and never come back."

"Shouldn't I be saying that to you?"

They left their fighting stances and charged. Sparring for a bit, led to them both grunting, out of energy, before Finley let out a cry and went in for the last strike. A strike to the heart.

He smirked, "Check, Askell."

To his horror, said man grinned back. "Checkmate," he clarified, while taking advantage of the boy's stunned reaction, by pushing him off the cliff.

Finley grabbed for the nearest support, which was his sword, still stuck in Semueld's heart, and grabbed on for dear life. Fortunately, the sword did its job and Semueld was finally vanquished, his bloody, gashed, body crumpling to the ground. Unfortunately, that meant that he now had nothing more to hang on to, sending him flailing off the cliff.

"Finley!" "McPhee!" "Viper!"

He didn't feel the wind flying past him, or hear the voices calling out to him, all he could think of was how he was ready to die. He had accomplished a few things in his life, right? And now his home was safe, his friends were safe, that's all that mattered. He thought about the waves, the current, and the very hard rocks awaiting him down below. He held a tight grasp on his sword, his knuckles turning white and his palms becoming sweaty.

Maybe he wasn't afraid of dying, but that didn't mean he wasn't nervous...


	2. Suicidal silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doug reflects upon the loss of his younger brother. During his mourning, he is visited by an unexpected person.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that the original intention in the books was for Aiby and Finley to be in a romantic relationship together, but I see them as brother and sister. That was my first impression of them too, when I first picked up the first volume, and I glanced at the cover image.  
> I might throw in an OC or two for pairings, but this story is mainly about the themes down below :
> 
> Drama/Angst/Family/Adventure 
> 
> For more information about the series, go to the first chapter, I left a few notes there.

"I can't believe you're _gone_."

One moment Finley was in the truck with him, next thing he knew, he was watching him fall off a cliff. He's gone.

"God dammit Finley!" He exclaimed to the dead silence of the night, punching at sand. He let silent tears fall down his face as he felt himself fall to the ground. He was on the beach, three days after the incident, near the cave his little brother liked to go to. Near the water that had  _killed_   his little brother. All he felt was agony. Pure agony.

"You just  _had_  to play hero, huh? You just had to sacrifice yourself!" He didn't hold back his angry roar.

"Doug." He turned around to find none other than Aiby Lilly.

"What do you want?" He questioned in an annoyed tone, as she sat beside him.

"I- I wanted to apologize, first of all, for getting Finley into this whole magic ordeal, and I also wanted you to be the first one to know that he's not dead."

Doug frowned, turning his body to face the girl completely. "What do you mean? Did he contact you? Is he here?!" Doug was becoming delirious, questions doubling in his head each time he thought about his lost brother.

"No, nothing of the sort, unfortunately. I can just...feel it. He's gone, but he's not dead."

"You can feel it, huh? Well, that's something else, because according to the police, the reverend,  _and_  my parents, there was blood on the rocks. Those sharp, pointy, rocks, and no sign of my baby brother. They searched the whole sea, dammit! The search parties lasted for three days, _three_ days! But if you want to tell them that you somehow feel that he's alive, without any proof or any explanations, then be my guest!"

Aiby made no move to answer. She stayed silent, looking straight into the water, her eyes glazed over with a foreign emotion.

"And yeah, maybe we don't have a body, but the current could've washed him away. He's gone, Aiby. Dead. Not in this world."

At this, the girl flinched. "The last thing you said was correct," she whispered.

"What? So now you agree? Well, silly of me, but I thought you felt-"

"He was my friend too, okay! He was like a brother to me as well. We might have not been blood related, but I feel the aftermath just as strongly as you do."

He didn't consider this. "You're right, I'm sorry."

"Me too."

There was a pause where no-one said anything, until something Aiby had said occurred to Doug. "I thought you loved him romantically."

This made her sigh, "I did in the past, but I learned to view him as a brother. Plus, I prefer girls."

He raised an eyebrow, surprised with the answer. "Really? That's cool. But you know, he was madly in love with you, right?"

" _Is_ , not was. And it's just a measly crush, he's thirteen. I can't imagine you were any better at his age."

Doug rolled his eyes. "Yeah, about that, you said he wasn't dead, yet, he's not in this world. How does that work?"

"He's a Borderpasser, remember?"

Doug opened his mouth, but then closed it. That's right, Finley was special, different. He had a vague recollection of him jumping off that cliff, Sheir Thraid. It was to see if he was one of the Others, which he was. That's how he survived the fall.  _He didn't survive it this time._

"I fail to see how that is relevant."

"You'll understand soon. Just-" she took a deep breath, "just don't beat yourself up over his disappearance, okay?"

He glanced at the sea, waiting for his brother to show up any second then. Alive. But no, he wasn't alive. Not by his side.

" _Okay_ , Doug?"

He gave a noncommittal grunt.

"Good." She got up, her back facing him. "And don't forget."

"Don't forget what?"

"Were having his funeral on Friday."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the chances of people actually reading this story are slim, yet I still write for myself sometimes and for fun. If someone is actually reading this, however, I will gladly take any suggestions you have. 
> 
> Have a nice reading session (or marathon) on AO3 :3


End file.
